(Proper Feast in the Philippines)
3rd Sunday in January
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Ephesians 1: 3-6, 15-18
Luke 2: 41-52
“Did you not know
that I must be in my Father’s house?"
…and he grew in
age, wisdom and grace…”
The feast of the Señor Sto. Niño is a big celebration among Filipinos. Our typical devotion to the child Jesus traces its roots from the early beginnings of Christianity in the Philippines. This perhaps the reason why there are good numbers of places in our country named after the Sto. Niño, many churches and chapels dedicated to his patronage and countless family and personal devotions offered by sincere Filipino devotees. But if we have good reasons to make all these festive activities, which are more often cultural, our catholic spirituality calls us more importantly to reflect on the theological significance of our celebration.
1. The feast of the Sto. Niño is an occasion for us to meditate on one of the stages of Jesus’ life: his childhood. Sad to say, however, the gospels are not that abundant about Christ’s childhood. In fact, today’s gospel is one of the only two accounts that we have, the other one being the wonder boy at Cana. But this must not be a predicament. Not even the silence of his hidden life in Nazareth must. After all, it was where he grew in age, wisdom and grace. Thus, if much is written and said about the spirituality of the “Santo Entiero,” there is no reason why we cannot explore the richness of a “Santo Niño – spirituality.”
“Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” To be in his Father’s house is to be in his father’s business, attending to the affairs of his father. This is what characterizes the whole life of Jesus. But surprisingly, he says it even at his tender childhood. Does it not mean, then, that the whole life of Jesus, which is nothing else but attending to his Father’s affairs child-like? Or putting it in another way, does child-like mean attending to the Father’s affairs, and for that matter, doing the Father’s will?
In any case, we are sure that doing the Father’s will is what Christian faith is all about. This is obviously the evangelic meaning of the virtue of obedience, which is the centerpiece of our gospel today. And strictly, this is the only virtue we can find explicitly said. Thus, if ever we meditate on other child-like virtues such as humility, dependence, honesty, etc., they must be understood as virtues, which overflow from the fountain virtue of obedience.
2.
The obedience he has to his heavenly father takes precedence. And to him, it is
imperative. This is why Jesus seems not to understand the human disposition of
his parents. Certainly, it is quite painful for the human parents of Jesus not
to be informed of his whereabouts. After searching for long, they only ended up
asking the child in a modest way: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your
father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” But in return,
the child Jesus gives a harsh response: “Why were you looking for me? Did
you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” What an answer! And to
Joseph, it is a subtle way of saying: “You are not my father, anyway…”
Even then, Jesus is not that stubborn. Much less is his answer a manifestation of arrogance. “He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them…” Jesus’ obedience to his human parents is clear. Although knowing pretty well that he is much superior to his human parents, he still submits himself to them in perfect obedience. By doing this, sets the finest example of maturing in Christian faith. For indeed, truly human is truly divine. After all, how can one obey and love a God whom he does see, if he cannot even obey and love someone whom he does see?
3.
Christ’s obedience, therefore, takes its pre-eminence in the gospel. However,
this virtue finds greater perfection in other virtues that overflow from it.
Humility is its direct fruit. He proves this by humbly obeying his mother at
Cana, although he knows that his hour has not yet come (John 2:4). And
together with humility are the virtues of simplicity, patience, trust and
dependence, which can be expected of a child. “He went down with them and
came to Nazareth…” True, the bible is silent about his private life in
Nazareth. But we have all the good reasons to believe that “he did deem
equality with God…but look the form of a slave…” (Phil 2: 6-7). And this is
particularly striking. If ever there is a better way of being humble and
simple, it is nothing else but leading a humble and simple life. And Jesus must
have had it. Being a son of a poor carpenter and helping his father in this
simple and humble means of livelihood, he himself must have learned the art of
carpentry. This humility, simplicity, patience, trust and dependence – born out
of perfect obedience - are among all others, which the child bears as he “grows
in age, wisdom and grace.” These virtues shall find their noblest
expression later on in his when at last he cries to his Father: “…it is not
my will but yours be done…” (Luke 22:42).
4.
An authentic Christian spirituality is one, which is patterned unto the life of
Christ. And as Christ advance in age, wisdom and grace our religiosity
too must advance towards maturity through the various phases of growth. This is
the reason why we meditate on the different stages of Christ’s life: infancy,
childhood and manhood. This is one meaning of the liturgical year: advent, lent
and Easter. This is why we have the mysteries of the holy rosary: joyful,
sorrowful and glorious. And for all that matters, this is in fact the reason
why we have the God-made-man.
The
richness of our devotion to the Señor Sto. Niño is found precisely in the truth
that Christian life is a paradox. We know that hope is born out of despair.
Faith shines in the midst of doubt and love finds its truest meaning in the
midst of hatred and anger. This evangelical paradox makes us understand why
Christian greatness consists not in lording over but in serving even the least.
This enables the saints to lead a life that continuously decreases the self
so that they may also increase in His grace. For indeed, it is in
humbling oneself that one becomes exalted. Hence, if we find light in darkness,
joy in sorrow and life in death, it is in the same way that we find the full
sense of Christian maturity in being child-like. Growing old in grace
means staying young as a child. Is this not the reason why Christ would
insist: “unless you change and become like little children, you will not
enter the kingdom (Matthew 18: 3)”?